“You’re one of those blasted witches, aren’t you?” she asked, the lines around her mouth deepening. “Came in through the library, did you? I rue the day we allowed that portal to be created. Thought you witches would help this town prosper, not traipse through, causing chaos any time you stepped foot here. Well, you can just leave my teeth where they are, thank you. And no magic in the rooms. It makes the other guests nervous.” She handed me a key. “Second room on the right when you reach the top of the stairs.”
I considered her for a moment as she stifled another round of coughs. Her own human hubris would be her death, and in less than a month from the sound of it. But that was hardly my problem. Perhaps if she’d taken better care of her teeth, I’d have bothered to barter harder.
I nodded my thanks. The small room I’d been given consisted of little more than a bed. Out the open window, night had fallen. A cool breeze sent the curtains billowing, reaching for me. Beyond, stars twinkled lazily in the sky. The moon was nearly half full at this point. But soon enough, it would be full. The blood moon. And I would need to have seen my mission completed by then. This would be the most important task of my life, and I couldn’t afford not to see it through. There was no time to waste, and so I set out in search of the boy.
The address I’d been given was that of a pub.
Did he live above the pub? I scratched my chin as I stepped within, greeted by the sound of raucous laughter. It was overly full of people, all tables stuffed to capacity, the bar crowded with thirsty patrons trying to signal a bearded man who looked out of his depth.
A man in the corner played the piano, a jaunty beat adding to the lively atmosphere. Servers darted through the crowd, carrying flagons of golden mead. I wouldn’t have minded one myself, but I couldn’t afford to be distracted. What if my charge would only be here for a short while?
You’ll know Augustus when you see him,Lucifer had assured me, wrinkling his nose.He positively reeks of righteousness and goodwill. He will receive word that he must travel to America tomorrow. Make sure you are along for that journey.
Righteousness and goodwill? An odd sentiment, given this was a man who’d sold his soul to Lucifer, but that was hardly my concern. My concern was seeing him to his destination and having my debt to the Devil cleared.
I traversed the room, scanning the groups at tables. The only area of interest was a corner booth, where a small crowd had gathered. Curious, I approached, noting two women sitting in the booth where several powders were laid out in small porcelain bowls.
“What does this one do?” a bony woman in the crowd asked, gesturing to a small pill that sat before a yellow powder. She squinted. “Isn’t that turmeric?”
I nodded to myself, having recognized the spice immediately. A few potions required its inclusion.
One of the women at the table, a blonde, looked uncertainly toward a man at the edge of the booth. “Yes, that pill contains turmeric. It can ease pain.”
She didn’t sound terribly certain, and the man she’d spoken to cleared his throat, leaning over. “If anyone is suffering from arthritis or stomach issues, they will find some relief with this pill. Its effects can be quite miraculous. It has been enhanced with prayer magic.”
“And what about this one?” a man asked, pointing to what was clearly ginger.
I tuned the answer out as I sidled up to the young man who’d clarified what the pill containing turmeric was capable of. He was perhaps seventeen, Latino, with wavy black hair cut short on the sides. He was also perhaps the most handsome boy I’d ever seen. He even gave Lucifer a run for his money, with a strong jawline. But it was really his eyes that drew my attention. There was something about them, warm and inviting. “You seem to know a lot about herbs and spices.”
The boy glanced at me, eyes lingering on my mouth for a moment before turning back toward the table. “I try.”
“And the prayers? Some would call what you are producing alchemy.”
The boy’s eyes snapped back to mine, wide with alarm. He gently pushed me away from the table, a discreet distance away. He lowered his voice. “Are youtryingto get me in trouble?”
I smiled. “Because alchemy is a forbidden practice?”
His brow furrowed. “It’s not…. These are just natural ingredients. Witches don’t have claim over everything that grows wild in the world, even if the Council of Witches would want you to believe so.”
I considered. The Council of Witches would have some choice words for this young man.
“Humans trying to harness powers innate to witches isn’t safe. Magic doesn’t come naturally to—”
“No,” the man put a hand on my shoulder, which I found distracting. He looked me directly in the eyes and my mouth momentarily went dry. He had such dark brown eyes and lovely eyelashes surrounding them. “It’s science. It’s the most natural thing in the world, and it’s all around us. The witches need their magic to create their spells and potions, but these”—he swept a hand back toward the table—“these work without witch intervention. Simple prayer any human has the ability to recite activates them. They may not have the instantaneous effect that a witch’s tincture has, but it’s something.”
“But … why would you bother? If you need to alleviate pain, you can merely seek a witch.”
“Ha!” the man barked. “You think a witch’s services are free? That they’ll help us humans out of the kindness of their hearts? That would be something. No, we want people to have access to medicine and … andknowledgewithout having to be so reliant on witches.”
I nodded slowly. He clearly didn’t have a very high opinion of witches, but he was a fool if he thought chomping on some ginger was going to cure menstrual cramps as easily as a witch’s brew. Sometimes a little payment was worth the extra benefits.
“Auggie?” the blonde at the table called over to us.
I blinked as the boy turned toward the table. Auggie. As in Augustus. Of course. This would be my charge then. I looked him over. At least this wouldn’t be the worst person to watch for a fortnight and change.
“Pardon me,” Auggie said. He returned to the table and answered the question posed to him.
I considered the best way to insinuate myself into this boy’s travel plans. He seemed an amiable enough fellow. Perhaps something not so subtle would do the trick. I rejoined Auggie at the table and smiled. “This is truly fascinating. I would love to hear more about these wonders you’ve managed to uncover. If only I wasn’t leaving for America in the morning.”
